Free Desert of Desire by Wynter Daniels Page B

birthday a few weeks back. Got a great deal.”
“Hmm.” She thought about asking him to stop. Her mama liked that sort of jewelry. Every time she bought her parents anything, they complained their Miami Beach condo was too small. She brushed the idea from her mind.
Soon the landscape dramatically changed . The thick green forest turned thinner then gave way to a barren desert with yellow-orange rocks. As they drove, orange intensified to red and the rocks grew to massive stone towers. Huge boulders perched precariously atop smaller ones. The vast expanse of desert was like nothing she’d ever seen. Some of the stone monoliths had stripes, horizontal bands in various shades of pink, brown and crimson. It all took her breath away.
Soon a town appeared. Shops, restaurants and galleries lined the hilly road. “Is this it?” she asked.
He nodded. “I never get tired of looking at this place. Beautiful, ain’t it?”
“Incredible.” She looked at the back of his head. That accent sounded familiar. “You’re not from here, are you?”
He chuckled. “Nah. Brooklyn. Me and the wife came out on vacation ten years ago. Couldn’t bring ourselves to leave.”
Sure, it was beautiful, but to leave the excitement of the greatest city in the world to live in the sticks? No way. “Don’t you ever miss New York?”
“We go once a year to visit the grandkids. But Flagstaff is home now. You see the canyon yet?”
“Nope. Probably won’t have time.”
He snorted. “Lady, you can’t come here and not see it. It’ll change you.”
What did that mean? A few miles past town, the cab turned into a driveway and stopped in front of a high stone wall. Native stone, judging from the color.
The driver retrieved her suitcase and carried it to a wrought iron gate. Eve thanked him and gave the man a generous tip on top of the fare. As the cabbie drove away, Eve rang the buzzer next to the gate. She heard a door open.
Then a short, stocky blond man appeared. “Are you Eve?”
She nodded as she looked him over. He wore a floral print Hawaiian shirt and Bermuda shorts with a dishtowel tucked into the waistband. Definitely gay. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Calloway.”
He unlocked the gate and pulled it open as he chuckled. She only saw three teeth in his whole mouth. “I’m not Mr. Calloway.” He extended his hand, palm down. “I’m Kelly.” His handshake felt like a damp rag.
Okay, maybe he was Calloway’s lover. “So nice to meet you, Kelly.” Pulling her suitcase inside the door, she set it in a corner of the foyer and followed him to a large living room .
“Are you staying here? I have the guest room made up.” He lifted a hopeful eyebrow.
She shook her head. “ I have a reservation at the Beau Rock Inn. I came straight from the airport.”
“Oh.” He motioned toward a toffee-colored couch then left the room.
Eve dropped her purse on the sofa, taking in her surroundings. Brown stone tile covered the floor and fireplace surround. The walls and ceiling were white with rough-hewn wood beams every few feet. The décor was dramatic yet sparse. She turned toward the glass sliders and sucked in a breath.
The open doors let in a warm, dry breeze that carried the aromas of a million flowers. A winding stone path disappeared into endless greenery, dotted with purple, yellow, red and orange blooms. Drawn by the garden’s amazing beauty, she stepped outside, wide-eyed, and surveyed the landscape. She ventured a few steps down the walkway and heard the sound of running water. A dozen more steps and she came upon a fountain, ten or twelve feet around with multiple levels. Stone pots overflowing with the most unique flowers she’d ever seen flanked the base. A silver-leafed vine climbed a trellis behind the fountain. The red blooms reminded her of miniature umbrellas. She reached out and touched one, fascinated by its delicate beauty.
“Star Glory.” A man’s deep voice floated through the air.
Eve jumped, her heart stuck in her